Airplane pilot&#39;s seat



June 26, 1945.

P. R. STYERS 2,379,385

AIRPLANE PILOT S SEAT Filed June 13, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R404 f1.5TYERS,

June 26, 1945.

AIRPLANE PILOTS SEAT Filed June 15, 1944 P. R. STYERS 2,379,385

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 PAUL R STYERS,

- By 2mm Wyn we; 5M6

I n ven tor June 26, 1945. p R STYERS 2,379,385

AIRPLANE PILOT S SEAT Filed June 13, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet s P4 [/4 R 5TYER 5,

I 9 B) W ml- June 26, 1945. P. R: STYEIQS AIRPLANE PILOT S SEAT FiledJune 13, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v1 0 f. U W I I 7 I PAUL F. STYER,

y I W Patented June 26, 1945" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in seats,particularly for the pilots of airplanes.

It is a matter of common knowledge that temporary unconsciousness orblacking out of the pilot of an, airplane frequently occurs whentraveling at high speed, pulling out of a power dive, when negotiatingtigh turns, et cetera, due to the draining of the blood from the headunder the influence of centrifugal force. It is also well known thatthis draining of the blood from the head, together with the state ofunconsciousness resulting therefrom, is materially reduced if the pilot,when subjected to the action of centrifugal force, is able to assume aprone or substantially prone position. The primary object of the presentinvention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a seat ofthe character described comprising a novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts whereby an I airplane pilot, when desired, mayexpeditiously shift from a sitting to a prone position and vice versa.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a seat ofthe aforementioned character which will permit the pilot to retaincontrol of the plane when changing from a sitting to a prone positionand back again.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a shiftable seat of thecharacter described for airplane pilots, which seat will becomparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, reliable inoperation, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspeciilcation, in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein likecharacters of reference showing same in the prone position.

Figure 41s a view in the transverse section, taken substantially on theline 4-4 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, takensubstantially on the line H of Figure 3. Referring now to the drawingsin detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention whichhas been illustrated comprises a pair of spaced, opposed channel tracksI which are rigidly supported by frame structures 2 in the fuselage I ofan airplane. From the floor 4 of the fuselage 3 the tracks I curveupwardly, rearwardly and then downwardly.

A cushioned seat I has mounted beneath its rear end portion brackets orlegs I having mounted thereon rollers 'Iwhich; are operable in thetracks I.

when such seat is in lowered or sitting position.

A cushioned back I is hingedly connected, as at II, to the'rear of theseat I. seat I is a suitable head rest II. movably supported on thetracks I through the medium of rollers I! on the rear of said back,

which rollers travel on said tracks.

operatively connected to the seat I is a hydraulic jack II. The Jack I!is pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement in any suitablemanner on the lower portion of the fuselage 3. Also, the hydraulic JackI! may be operatively connected to any desired source of fluid underpressure, preferably the usual hydraulic system of the plane. A controllever I 4 is provided for the hydraulic iack l8 within convenient reachof the occupant of the seat I.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readilyapparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, with the seat Iin the position of Figure 1 of the drawings, the pilot sits thereon andgrips the wheel II with his feet on the usual rudder bar II of theplane. When it is desired to shift to a prone position, the pilotreleases the'usual safety belt I! and swings the control lever l4 toconnect the Jack H with the hydraulic system of the plane, therebyactuating said jack. The hydraulic Jack ll forces the seat I, also theback I, upwardly and rearwardly on the tracks I, substantially as shownin Figure 2 of the drawings, during which movement, the pilot, stillgripping the wheel II, positions his feet adjacent said tracks. Thisoperation continues until the seat I and the back I are in substantiallythe same horizontal plane on the upper portions of the tracks I. As thisposition is reached, the pilot leans his body forwardly and brings it torest on theseat I and swings his legs upwardly on the back i. A latch i4releasably secures the hydraulic jack II in extended position. A chinsling I! is provided for assisting in supporting the pilot's head whenhe is in a prone position. 'An auxiliary rudder bar .(not shown) is tobe installed/1n The seat I is further provided with; front legs I whichare ensaseable on the floor 4 Rising from the The back 0 is the airplanerearwardly of the tracks I to permit the pilot to operate the rudderwhile in a prone position. While the pilot is in a prone position, thesafety belt I1 is again connected by passing it over the back. Thecushion of the back 9 is shaped substantially as shown to advantage inFigure 4 of the drawings to facilitate manipulation of the pilot's legsboth when shifting and for operating the rudder when in a proneposition. To return to a sitting position, the foregoing procedure issubstantially reversed. That is, the chin is disengaged from the slingIS, the safety belt I! is released, the latch 18 is released and thefluid is exhausted from the hydraulic Jack 13 through the medium of thecontrol lever I4. Any suitable means may, if necessary or desirable, beprovided for releasably anchoring the seat 5 in lowered or sittingposition.

It is believed that the many advantages o1 an airplane pilots seatconstructed in accordance with the present invention will be readilyunderstood, and although a preferred embodiment is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an airplane comprising a fuselage including a floor, a pair oftracks mounted on said floor and curving upwardly, rearwardly anddownwardly therefrom, a substantially horizontal seat, rollers on therear portion of said seat operable on the tracks, a back hingedlyconnected to the seat, spaced pairs of rollers on said back operable onthe tracks, and a fluid-actuated jack pivotally mounted in the fuselageand operatively connected to the seat for shifting said seat and theback on the tracks.

2. In an airplane comprising a fuselage including a floor, a pair oftracks mounted on said floor curving upwardly, rearwardly and downwardlytherefrom, a substantially horizontal seat, rollers on the rear portionor said seat operable on the tracks, a back hingedly connected to theseat, spaced pairs of rollers on said back operable on the tracks, andmeans mounted, in the fuselage and operatively connected to the seat forshifting said seat and said back on the tracks.

PAUL R. STYERS.

